Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 8 Jul 2002 to 9 Jul 2002 (#2002-176) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 10/07/2002, 17:01 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 7 messages totalling 780 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Epic News (3) 2. MA1018 events 3. Modrigswerg 2 (2) 4. Modrigswerg 3 :some ideas ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 13:26:43 -0500 From: Eric Anondson Subject: Epic News Just grabbed Epic Level Handbook, I just noticed they put in some Mystaran beasties. The Neh-thalggu (brain collector) is put in as a CR 26 incorporeal creature. Interesting take on it as well. Mentions that they might even come from the "Nightmare Dimension". Another beastie is the Blackball, (aka Umbral Blot). A CR 32 construct, said to be created by "the Old Ones". Nifty... Eric Anondson ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 15:01:46 EDT From: Alex Benson Subject: Re: MA1018 events Guys, it's not that big of a deal. Heck, I am mostly a lurker of late but had little trouble finding the events. I know how Geocities is so I can understand Herves desire to disassociate himself with that service. Anyway, Vaults of Pandius is the source for anything and everything Mystara. I even heard that there are some incriminating pics of Eusebius, thus explaining his boyhood nickname of "little boots". You just have to play around with the URL a bit. LOL Just be glad the events are out for public viewing. I am witholding any and all anti-Herve comments until after I read the events. Regretably, I have a few questions over some events. And surprisingly, they are not based upon what you may think they are. But I'll await my actually seriously reading them. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 15:08:32 -0400 From: SteelAngel Subject: Re: Epic News On Tue, 9 Jul 2002, Eric Anondson wrote: > Another beastie is the Blackball, (aka Umbral Blot). A CR 32 construct, > said to be created by "the Old Ones". Whee! At least we get some recognition that Mystarans are epic :) Ethan -- Kinard 210 Linux Guru Webmaster www.steelangel.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 15:52:56 -0700 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: Modrigswerg 2 On Tue, 9 Jul 2002 02:33:41 -0400, David Knott wrote: > From: "The Stalker" >> >> I didn't like this idea and I spent a bit of time thinking why... After >> all, I'm not completely contrary to the idea of dwarven wizards (though I >> think they should be very few and be subject to racial stigma), so what > was >> my problem? Well, it's the Kogolor dwarves in HW. They don't seem to >> possess any more arcane knowledge than their Rockhome descendants, so how >> could the Kogolors who were 'left alone' have arcane traits? However, it >> sounds to me like you want the original dwarvers (the outer world > ancestral >> Kogolors) to have wizards among them. Can I ask why? I don't see much >> reason for it, especially not if the emerging Modrigswerg are going to > have >> arcane traits among them (and we seem to agree there), but then you might >> have something in mind that I'm missing. > > I am inclined to agree with you because of the description of the > Kogolor dwarves as well as the fact that the Blackmoor modules > don't bother to revise the traditional treatment of the dwarven race. > In 3e terms, I think the Modrigswerg do indeed have sorcerers > among them -- but I also thing that they developed this trait after > they were split off from the original dwarven race, as opposed to > retaining that trait from an ancestral race that freely practiced both > divine and arcane magic. > You'd make them sorcerors? Personally I'd think the wizard class is more appropriate because of the way sorcerors are described in the rules. I mean, sorcerors have innate arcane powers because of some semi-arcane heritage as I understand it, and to me that seems to speak rather a lot against the possibility of dwarven sorcerors. Dwarven wizards might be a different matter because being a wizard is an actual field of study, something you trained for long years to achieve, unlike the sorceror who is born with the power he has. And note that those Modrigswerg wizards would be rare because wizards tend to be lawful in 3e (their need to study requires planning) while the Modrigswerg are mostly chaotic. Perhaps they should, instead of becoming simply wizards, have a knack toward a specific sort of wizard specialist, probably one that has the most to do with crafting magical items and so. Not sure what that would be. If WotC recreate the old wizard specialists from the Player Option: Spells & Magic book, then artificer would be ideal, but otherwise transmuter sounds likely somehow. - The Stalker ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 15:55:27 -0700 From: The Stalker Subject: Re: Epic News On Tue, 9 Jul 2002 15:08:32 -0400, SteelAngel wrote: > On Tue, 9 Jul 2002, Eric Anondson wrote: > >> Another beastie is the Blackball, (aka Umbral Blot). A CR 32 construct, >> said to be created by "the Old Ones". > > Whee! > > At least we get some recognition that Mystarans are epic :) > > Was there ever any doubt in your mind? Heretic! It would be good if we could get the FR crowd to accept it, though (yeah, like that will happen...) :D - The Stalker ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 23:01:26 -0400 From: David Knott Subject: Re: Modrigswerg 2 From: "The Stalker" > > You'd make them sorcerors? Personally I'd think the wizard class is more > appropriate because of the way sorcerors are described in the rules. I > mean, sorcerors have innate arcane powers because of some semi-arcane > heritage as I understand it, and to me that seems to speak rather a lot > against the possibility of dwarven sorcerors. Dwarven wizards might be a > different matter because being a wizard is an actual field of study, > something you trained for long years to achieve, unlike the sorceror who is > born with the power he has. And note that those Modrigswerg wizards would > be rare because wizards tend to be lawful in 3e (their need to study > requires planning) while the Modrigswerg are mostly chaotic. Perhaps they > should, instead of becoming simply wizards, have a knack toward a specific > sort of wizard specialist, probably one that has the most to do with > crafting magical items and so. Not sure what that would be. If WotC > recreate the old wizard specialists from the Player Option: Spells & Magic > book, then artificer would be ideal, but otherwise transmuter sounds likely > somehow. I was leaning towards the idea of making them sorcerers on the theory that races and classes are detailed whenever a rule set that matches them is available. Thus, the demi-humans of the Known World tend to follow a limited set of race/class combinations (to the point that the race = class system of 0e works for most of them), while those of the Savage Coast are more flexible (and thus they were detailed just when the transition to 2E was beginning). I took the fact that Gaz 7 did not detail the Modrigswerg as a hint that they were "illegal" under any D&D rules available at the time. My other reason for making them sorcerers was to ensure that they were not too good at arcane magic. Presumably, these dwarves would have no Int penalty but would have at least as great a Cha penalty as standard dwarves. Of course, there are other possibilities to consider (such as giving them a Wis penalty instead, to reflect their mental instability) as well as the fact that they seem to have a special knack for magic item creation. The only firm conclusion I am ready to reach about their arcane magic practices is that they probably make lousy bards. ;) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 Jul 2002 21:47:50 -0700 From: Chris Furneaux Subject: Modrigswerg 3 :some ideas 5500 BC -Kagyar, a Brute man, achieves immortality. ???? BC -Kaygar creates the first dwarves as a great artisan race. ???? - 3000 BC -Garal, a Kogolor Dwarf (?) achieves immortality. 3060 BC -Garal Glitterlode, envious of Kagyar's creative ability creates a new artisan race he calls Gnomes, and places them in the outer fringes of Evergrun, near the south pole. These are the ancestors of the Ice Gnomes. 3000 BC -Blackmoor causes the Great Rain of Fire and the planet shifts on its axis, causing the poles to cover new previously inhabited areas. Earthquakes, storms and volcanic eruptions abound everywhere. (HW) -With the planet's shift in axis the dwarves homes are surrounded by ice. This drives the dwarves to build even larger cavern complexes and they spend less and less time on the surface, growing fond of their underground creations. 2900 BC -Seeing that his creation, the gnomes, are in great danger and have little chances of surviving, the Immortal Garal creates another stock of gnomes and places them in Brun (Rockhome and Northern Reaches area). These gnomes prove to be more tinkering and more versed in fantasy physics than the first breed. However, the first breed is tougher and more resourceful than what Garal predicted and they manage to survive, migrating from Evergrun to Vulcania and beginning their new life in that harsh land. Some of them are common earth-gnomes while others begin to live very close to volcanoes or high up in the mountain caves. 2500 BC -Gnomes living in the Rockhome area start exploring the neighbouring sites. Some of them move permanently in the Northern Reaches when the ice sheet recedes, establishing both seaside aboveground and underground complexes (the Falun Caverns) where they live. -Gnomes make contact with the Dwarves of the Northern Reaches, and the two races become fast allies. The Gnomes learn much about underground living from the dwarves and much trade begins. -Others migrate at the foothills of the Cruth Mountains and settle south west of Rockhome territory (in what will be later called Darokin). Among these are the gnomes who will found the city of Serraine. 2500 BC - 1800BC Kobolds (when were they created? this is just an idea anyway) have become a major problem for both the dwarves and the Gnomes. Trade Caravans are allways under threat and constant raiding causes the dwarves to built elaberote means of protecting their homes. This fact coupled with the fact that every year less and less Dwarves are born, leads the dwarves to become reclusive, seeing the decline of their race and wishing to slow the process. With this change the Dwarves spend less and less time with the races of the outside world. By 2000 BC the Dwarves of the northern reaches have become extremely solitary that almost no trade occurs. 1800 BC: -Realising that the dwarfish race on the Known World is slowly, inevitably dying out, the Immortal Kagyar takes all remaining dwarves in the Known World. Half he transplants to the Hollow World, and half he reshapes into a new dwarven race. Now there are no remnants of the original dwarven race on the outer world. Some of the "new dwarves" are returned to the Northern Reaches, where the largest dwarf colonies had been, and eventually become the Modrigswerg clans; others are planted in the Rockhome region. Both groups are given false memories and believe that the Modrigswerg dwarves also originally lived in the Rockhome lands. (GAZ6) -Kagyar gives the Modrigswerg many more of the personality traits of the dwarves at the time of the reshaping. Because of this they are remain reclusive and makers of extreemly fine trap systems to protect their caverns. The Modrigswerg were re-shaped first and not as much care was taken. -Kagyar placed the Modrigswerg here because he wanted the many creations of the first Dwarves to be safe, and because this way there would be no obvious changes to the outside world, all they would know is that there are dwarves deep in the mountains still and that they should not to be meddled with. -The Modrigswerg have not yet been tainted by the Dark Elves by this time. (HW) -Kagyar then began work on re-forging the dwarven race anew. The first of this new race he created from the greatest of the Kogolor. Kagyar used all his skill in remaking Denwarf, and he was reborn as the perfect dwarf. When Denwarf awakened Kagyar told him of his desire to reforge the dwarves, and Denwarf offered to do all that he could to help. And so it was that Denwarf became the apprentace of Kagyar. Kagyar took Denwarf and from him made seven dwarven lords. Realising that none could be as great as Denwarf they crafted each to excell in a different way, so that together they would be strong. The seven founded the seven clans of the dwarves. When they were ready Kagyar and Denwarf continued their work re-forging the dwarven race from the old, until the task was complete and there were enough dwarves to grow ito a strong nation. -The dwarves were given false memories of their re-forging such that they believed that they had originated in Rockhome and not the northern reaches. This was so they would not go searching for their ancestoral lands, but would build a new Dwarven Kingdom. -The dwarves transplanted to the Hollow World, who mostly belong to the Kogolor clans, thrived in their new lands. They have been placed in eastern mountains just north of the great equatorial mountain range, fairly distant from other sentient races; they have occasional contact with the Neathar tribes to the north and west, but are largely left to their own devices. (HW) -Having greater access to the surface and a much improved diet proved to do wonders for the Kogolor, so much so that their population began to stablise. When they realised that they were no longer dying out there was a drastic change in their attitudes. Also at this time it seemed as if Kagyar had abandoned them as the clerics of Kagyar could do less and less to guide them. This was because Kagyar was so opsessed with the creation of his new dwarves that he devoted less and less time to them. Garalin (Garal Glittergold) at this time saw this and stepped in to help his fellow Dwarves. So that is why the Kogolor now worship Garalin and not Kagyar, who while still revered he is not worshiped. One side effect this has had on the Kogolor is that they are now much more fun loving then the Dwarves of the outter world, and have begun to show some traits like those of the Gnomes. BC 1600: The coruption of the Modrigswerg. -Kagyar busy with the creation of Rockhome and the re-forging of the Dwarves had paid very little attention to the dwarves of the northern reaches for quite some time. Over the last hundred years or so the dwarves have begun to turn away from worshiping the gods, feeling abandoned. It is at this time that Loki the Trickster saw an oppitunity. Contacting some of the Modrigswerg, at this time still known as the Kogolor, and offered to teach them new ways of crafting ingenious items. And all this on only one condition, they craft him a mighty weapon through the combination of their skills and what he would teach them. Not seeing Loki for what he was they agreed believing that the offer was more then fair. Over the next few hundred years, he began to teach them the arcane arts which they previously had not knowen. With the dwarves turned from the worship of Kagyar and his attention focused else-where he had no way of knowing of Loki's Trickery. Over time the use of arcane magic by the Modrigswerg began to corupt their very existance. The dwarves had been created to be somewhat resistant to magic, but they could still manipulate it. When forgeing items they were sufficently removed from the energies through their creation rituals that it had no effect but casting spells exposed them too much. Kagyar had re-created the Modrigswerg first of all the dwarves on the surface and he had not been as careful as he was is creating the dwarves of Rockhome. The dwarves of Rockhome were much more resistant to magical energies then the Modrigswerg, but the Modrigswerg grew greedy and self-interested, and the more they used it the more they wanted to know. BC 1400. -Kingdom of Rockhome founded. (HW) Denwarf returns to his fellow dwarves and uniting the seven clans, becoming the first King of Rockhome. This state however is short lived. -Denwarf feeling his age crafts himself a new body. Kagyar is confused by this act and confronts Denwarf who claims that he is but improving on his masters work and isn't that what a good apprentace should do? Kagyar agrees that Denwarf can continue his transformation on the condition that he leaves the Dwarves to find their own way. -A colonising party of Shadow Elves, mostly Schattenalf followers of Atzanteotl, retraces the path of that earlier, lost expedition, and finds the Hollow World. They emerge just north of the great equatorial mountain range, right in the middle of the Kogolor dwarf territory. They immediately begin a war against the dwarves, whose lands they want. The Immortal Kagyar causes Denwarf, the leader of the Outer World's dwarves, to help the Kogolors against the Shadow Elves. (HW) BC 1395: -Kagyar places Denwarf in a state of suspended animation, transferring him to a cavern deep beneath the Dengar caverns of Rockhome. (HW) -Kagyar has realised that Denwarf is not just another dwarf, but that he is revered by all dwarves, and that he may be needed in the future. However he also fears for the sanity of Denwarf and Denwarfs desire to be great and his belief in the supremicy of the Dwarves. Kagyar believes that the dwarves are better left to their own ways and that if Denwarf was to presue his goals, now is not the time. BC 1200: -Explorers from Rockhome hear of the Modrigswerg and send word inviting them to come to Rockhome, and surgest a cultural exchange so that they can learn from each other. The Modrigswerg turn down this offer as they do not wish Rockhome to know of their wealth. However they do send dwarves to Rockhome to learn. The Modrigswerg ambasidors bring items of great craftmanship in exchange for the dwarves hospitality and they are welcomed. BC 1100: It has become increasingly difficult for the Modrigswerg to hide their rot that is caused by their use of magic and they become known as the 'rot' dwarves or 'moulder' dwarves. The dwarves of Rockhome begin to become suspicious. Many Modrigswerg have begun to dabble in the dark arts and have become unscrupulous, and do not have any respect for others as long as they can get away with it. When the practices of the Modrigswerg are discovered by the clans of Rockhome, All Modrigswerg dwarves was expelled from Rockhome, their leaders slain, and their name erased from dwarven records as an example. The King of Rockhome decrees that there is to be no dealing with the Modrigswerg and that they are not to be discussed in public. Any item created by the Modrigswerg is to be destroied and any dwarf caught practicing magic willl be exicuted. With the expusion of the Modrigswerg from Rockhome the elements of the Modrigswerg clan that still have some decency realise the truth that some of their members are tinkering in the dark arts and decide that they must be stopped. Their troops are mustered and sent out to extermanate the "rouge" dwarves. However it is discovered that these rouges are not alone and many dwarves defect. Some of the rouges begin working with outside forces on a new weapon. When word spreads of this, as many dwarves as possible are mustered and march on the main fortress of the rouge dwarves, however with the clans split and family member fighting family member there is terible confusion and nobody knows who is fighting for whom. Some of the rouge dwarves take this opitunity and betray their allies, using their life binding rituals to create powerful magic items. With these they repell the invaders but not until most of the rouge dwarves are killed or have fled. In the following years there is much doubt between clans and even between dwarves. Many take up a solitary existance, or as a small group, unwilling to trust each other for fear that they may be using the dark arts or betray them. The exile from their ancestoral homeland of Rockhome (as they believe), the bitterness of a bloody civil war the rot from their use of magic bring the Modrigswerg to become solitary, hostile toward strangers. Many are particually self concious hiding in poorly lit worlds and when they deal with others refusing to show their faces. Most are chaotic, not good or evil. It is discovered that even if they stop using magic the damage has already been done and is irriversable. It is also inherited, part of their very being, so there is nothing that future generations can do to stop it. Not useing magic slows the process of rot and insanity, but it does not prevent it. Most dwarves did stop practicing magic, but a few remained and passed on the art. These are usually the greatest of craftsmen, crating the most powerful artifacts. Over the years they have developed rituals that lessen their exposure to magic in the creation of items and so most Modrigswerg are capable of creating items far superior to those of Rockhome and centuries of isolation have but given them time to improve their arts. Few actually know any of the dark arts anymore and those that do will not talk about it. 1060-1050 BC: Antalians and dwarves with bronze technology fall before the Nithias with their iron and magic. Many of the Falun cavern gnomes are enslaved. others retreat building traps to protect themselves. The Modrigswerg survive capture by retreating into their caverns behind the ingenious traps they have been perfecting for centuries. They have become particually distrusting of humans, but somewhat so of all other creatures because they fear that if the vast wealth (largely left over from the original Dwarven kingdom) that is contained in their caves was ever discovered there would be no end to the trouble. Dwarves in rockhome manage to defeat any Nithian incursions into their land and are largely left alone. However because of the outside threats, it becomes forbidden for dwarves to venture out of Rockhome, and the dwarves isolate themselves for several centuries. 1050 BC: Evil Nithian necromancers research a way of creating a servitor race resembling the Hutaakans by reincarnating gnomes using the blood of trolls. The entire Northern Reaches have been conquered in the attempt to get more specimen. After a few years the first hundred gnomes are turned into gnolls. (GAZ10) 1000 BC: The Nithian experiment goes bad as the gnolls are not submissive as the Nithians predicted. They are strong, barbaric and they bred at a frightening rate. Thousands gnolls break free from their masters and invade the Traldar lands. 490 BC: Kobold clans are driven into the uplands of the Northern Reaches from the west. They overrun and exterminate the surviving gnomes living in the Falun Caverns, and occupy their subterranean kingdoms. (GAZ7) Today: The Modern Modrigswerg are not really good or evil. Rather they are very neutral and chose to deal with good and evil creatures in the same manner. However this is partially because a large portion are actually insane, and have lost much oof their ability to tell the two apart. The dwarves of Rockhome have seen how the Modrigswerg deal with others, and have deamed that the Modrig are corupted by evil and cannot be trusted (which is partially true), and have banned all trade between the two races. It is concidered extreamly frowned upon for a dwarf from Rockhome to possess and use an item crafted by the Modrigswerg dwarves. The legend of Denwarf: -Denwarf was his greatest work and helped Kagyar in the creating of seven more dwarves from the rock. When they were redy the seven were awakened and they became the first dwarven lords and founded the seven clans. Denwarf and Kagyar took many of the Kogolor and reforged them into this new race and when all was done, Denwarf came to the dwarves and united them together as one dwarven nation, and he became the first King. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Sign up for SBC Yahoo! Dial - First Month Free http://sbc.yahoo.com ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 8 Jul 2002 to 9 Jul 2002 (#2002-176) **************************************************************